Rollins College - Tomokan Yearbook (Winter Park, FL)

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PAT I ON

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OBSERVING, LEARNING, THINKING- YOUTH IS THE TIME FOR LEARNING. WELL ESTABLISHED LEARNING TECH- NIQUES SET ONE FOR OVERCOMING MANY DIFFICULTI ES. The Conference Tlan CALLS FOR STUDENT PARTICIPA- TION IN LEADING DISCUSSIONS AS ONE OF ITS FEATURES FOR DEVELOPMENT. PARTIC

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THE CONFERENCE PLAN Albert Brandon President Holt thinks that the characteristic feature of the Rollins Conference Plan is the free exchange of thought between pupil and teacher in personal conference. He believed the Conference System would prove an inspira- tion to the student. He put his ideas before the faculty which agreed with him unanimously and the Plan was adopted. The Conference Plan proved itself a valuable benefit to the college student. It developed a closer personal con- tact between student and professor and between student and student so that there now exists a bond of friendship, as well as a deeper respect, of the student for his instruc- tor. During a conference an interchange of ideas and opinions occurs which is stimulating to both. Coinciding with this is the development of the character of the student. He must think for himself; he cannot rely on someone else. The instructor gives him source material and discusses the various aspects of the subject with him. The student is then expected to draw up his own conclusions, basing his reasons on fact. The instructor does nothing toward formulating a student ' s opinion. From this process of reasoning and logical presentation the student develops his powers of creative work. This creative ability in classwork is impossible under a lecture system which forces the student to re-state facts on an examination. Under the Conference System the student does not take an examination when the term ' s work is com- pleted but instead presents a term project to the instructor. He selects his own subject and works it out in the way which benefits him most. We, as students under the Conference Plan, have found that there are benefits to be derived from such a system. Various undergraduates were asked to comment on the most important aspects of the Plan. JACK MAKEMSON — Independent Thought and Action No mere parroting of the professor ' s opinion sets the scholar apart from the student under the Conference Plan. Classroom discussions stimulate thinking; readings from authoritative sources provide a solid groundwork; and the student develops his own ideas — formulates his own philo- sophies. Independence is the keynote. Each student is free to think as he pleases — as long as he thinks soundly. Conference Professor Waite Planning His Course Roney Conducts in French — 22 —